KING OF THE UNDERWORLD (Earthbound Book 1)

I’m sitting at my desk, wondering what the fuck is wrong with me. I feel … Off. Fuck, even my demon feels unsettled. Lately, he’s been getting too close to the surface, and it’s getting harder to hold him back. If he breaks free, shit will hit the fan, and I’ll have a hard time gaining back control. No matter what I’ve tried to do, the feelings just won’t disappear.

I told Xena to meet me in my office and I fucked her until she couldn’t do anything else but lie there, exhausted. I had let her rest for an hour before waking her up and sending her on her way. She wasn’t happy. Did I give a shit? No. I hoped she’d take some of the edge off, but she hadn’t.

The feeling is still there, and as each day passes, it only continues to grow. I always listen to my gut, and it’s telling me danger is on the horizon. So many changes coming. Then there are the fucking crazy dreams, all featuring the same woman. In some, she beckons to me, asking for my help. In others, it’s obvious we have carnal knowledge of one another. Whoever she is, I already know she is going to be my downfall. The dreams are so bloody fuzzy I can’t even make out her features. I know her body is curvy and busty, and she wouldn’t quite meet my shoulder if she were standing next to me. The only way I’d be able to recognize her is by a small birthmark that looks like a crescent moon on the inside of her left thigh. The woman will become vital to me, and I know I’m going to do everything in my power to protect her. She’s going to be the weakness I can’t afford, but I know there’s little I can do to stop the hands of fate, no matter how hard I try.

When the time comes, if necessary, I will kill to protect her.

With my reputation, people think twice before crossing me. I give little thought to taking lives. If they don’t betray me, they will go on to live happy, fulfilling lives. If they request my help, I’m more than happy to do what I can. I am feared throughout my territory and beyond. Any debts people have with me must be paid either in weekly payments, or in full, with interest.

No matter the outcome, everyone realizes that my help comes with a cost. I’m not a charity! How many times this has to be said borders on lunacy. I made sure everyone fully understands what they’re getting into, what they’re signing, before I allow them to sign on the dotted line. Some just never listen. There’s no excuse, they choose not to heed my warnings. That, in my eyes, is their downfall.

My thoughts shift to what I was told earlier. A human woman went missing from The Fallen Angel. It appears as though she simply vanished. As it happened in my territory, I know the human police won’t get involved. They no doubt consider it the job of the Natural police to deal with, but neither one would dare step foot on any of my properties without my say-so.

I instructed Damien, my second in command and the closest thing I have to a friend, to get one of the other men to investigate. When I find out someone was taken while in one of my clubs or on my turf, I deal with it. It’s a well-known fact that I’m not overly fond of humans. There are a few I can tolerate, but other than those select few, they just aren’t worth the fucking hassle. I have enough problems.

A loud banging comes from behind the wooden door, interrupting my thoughts. I’d know that knock anywhere. Damien.

I growl. Shit, I don’t need this. The door swings open and he nods. “Lucien,” he says in his gravelly voice, and his bald, toffee-colored head reflects the light as he enters the room.

Shit.

EARLIER

DAMIEN

The crazy bitch is back, walking around as if she owns the damn place. She’s always liked to get her way, no matter the cost. I left her in Lucien’s living quarters because that was my only option. I came to inform Lucien that she was back because I just can’t deal with her shit. I’d end up killing her. My demon shares my feelings, my hatred for her runs that deep. She’s always been dangerous.

I left two men from my squad outside the entrance, giving them strict instructions that she wasn’t to leave. If they disobey me, they know they’ll be punished. She’s one of the most beautiful females I’ve ever seen, but she makes my flesh crawl. I almost think they must have come up with the phrase ‘beauty is only skin-deep’ with her in mind. I know it grates on her that she can’t sink her fingers into me. She’s tried more than once to seduce me, and even though she belongs to Lucien, it pisses her off to know that it won’t work, no matter how many times she tries. She forgets I know what and who she is. Lucien tolerates her and gives into her whims, and as long as he doesn’t expect me to do the same, I don’t give a shit. Lucien knows I have no love for the woman.

Lucien gave her one of the smaller regions on the outskirts of his territory many years ago, but never told me why. Not that he needed to. At the time, he was so infatuated with her, he would have given her the world if she’d asked him. To this day, I don’t understand it, and I don’t think I ever will.

Now I have to go tell Lucien that she’s back and demanding to see him. I just hope he’s in a better mood than he has been the last few weeks. I have two matters for him to deal with. Aria and our other uninvited guest. It’s up to Lucien to decide which one to deal with first.

I pause in front of the heavy wooden door before knocking. Lucien is in there and will not be happy to be disturbed.

“Lucien,” I call out as I push open the door and enter the room.

I’m relieved to find Lucien alone. It doesn’t bother me to walk in and see him fucking a woman. On the odd occasion we’ve even shared a female or two. But right now, we have more important matters to deal with. Lucien watches me as I walk into the room and let the door click shut behind me. I walk over to the front of his desk.

“What is it?” Lucien asks, his eyes locking onto me as I move closer.

I meet his black gaze. “Aria’s here and, as usual, she’s demanding to see you.” I tell him with distaste, curling my lip as I pull the chair out and ease my enormous frame into it.

Lucien hums, cocking his head back and shifting in his seat. “Fuck,” he grunts to himself, running one of his hands over his face. Looking at me, he asks, “Did she say what she wanted?”

Raising an eyebrow, I reply. “You. You know that’s the only reason Aria ever comes here.”

“I don’t have time for her shit,” he growls, shaking his head. “Make sure she’s put in my living quarters. I’ll deal with her later. Is there any update on the human female who went missing?”

“Already done, and she wasn’t too happy about it,” I give him the heads up on what kind of mood she’s going to be in by the time he gets to her. “Nothing on the human woman. I have a man looking through the recordings from that night and so far, nothing has come up.”

“Fucking hell! People don’t just disappear. When I find the fucker who took her, he’ll wish he never set foot on my property. The sooner we can find out what happened to her, the better.” Shifting in his chair, he adds, “I don’t want anyone to think it’s okay to take an unwilling woman from one of my businesses, whether they’re human or Natural. I won’t tolerate it. I want this sorted. Put out a reward and see if that brings anyone forward.”

I nod in agreement before clearing my throat. “Security caught a woman wandering in an area she shouldn’t be in.”

Lucien shrugs. “That’s happened before. We scare the fuck out of them and send them on their way. Why are you telling me about this?” He questions with a raised eyebrow.

“She’s in one of our uniforms,” I inform him, “and she’s a human.”

“Why didn’t you tell Xena? She’s the one who hires and fires!”

“There’s something about this woman. My gut tells me she’s hiding something.” I always go with my gut; it hasn’t let me down yet.

“Where is she now?” Lucien asks, sitting back in his chair.

“I put her in the back room, the one that overlooks the lake.”

“Put the camera on,” Lucien instructs me, “I want to see this woman myself.”

I turn until I’m facing away from him and switch on the monitor behind me.

It flickers before a figure appears on the monitor before us. She sits, then gets back up to walk around the room before sitting down on the chair again. She’s nothing special. She looks like every other woman that Lucien employs. Tall with long slim legs, tits as big as two softballs and look like they are just barely balancing on top of her chest, with long blonde hair hanging down to her waist. She’s Lucien’s typical woman.

I hear Lucien muttering something behind me, but I don’t catch what he’s saying. I hear the scraping of a chair as he gets to his feet and walks through the door I recently came through. What the fuck is going on?

“Lucien?”

He pauses, not saying anything for the longest time.

Finally, he turns his head slightly until I can see his profile and asks, “What do you see when you look at her?”

“A blonde woman with large tits,” I answer. “Why?” I stand up and start to move towards the door.

He walks over to the monitor and looks at me. With one finger, he taps the monitor, his head cocked to the side, his black eyes narrowed to slits. “I see someone entirely different,” he growls angrily.

“Well, fuck,” I mutter, following him out. I know what that means. Only one kind of woman can hide themselves in such a manner and Lucien can spot them from a mile away.

Fucking witch.